1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic money coffer for accommodating a number of IC cards and performing electronic money dealing through communications with external apparatuses, and more particularly to an electronic money coffer suitable for improving the safety in an abnormal state such as fire, flood damage, and earthquake.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional techniques regarding electronic money dealing are described, for example, in JP-A-62-293469.
In this system disclosed, data is read from or written in an IC card having a CPU, by a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC) or a dedicated terminal control unit at a bank counter or the like. This system uses a unit for reading/writing data to and from an IC card (hereinafter called an "ICRW unit"). This ICRW unit is connected to, for example, an I/O port of a PC, the IC card stores enciphered electronic money having the value equivalent to cash, and the values are exchanged between IC cards to settle each money dealing.
In the above-described conventional electronic money system, an electronic money coffer corresponding to a cash safe may be thought of, which temporarily stores the value of electronic money in order to carry out electronic money dealing. For example, the electronic money coffer accommodates a number of IC cards, and electronic money dealing is carried out by transferring the values of electronic money between the IC cards accommodated in the electronic money coffer and external IC cards, via communications with the external apparatuses.
Since such an electronic money coffer accommodates a number of IC cards, it stores a large value of electronic money. Therefore, it is desired to protect the electronic money coffer from an abnormal state such as disasters, flood damages, and earthquakes.